Russian warning sparks high-level Pentagon talks on Ukraine
At the beginning of this month, the phone rang at the Pentagon. On the other end, the caller stated that Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov said "he needed to talk to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about an alleged Ukrainian operation". What happened next remains unclear.
The issue is reported by "The New York Times." It concerns two conversations that Belousov and Austin had with each other within a month. The first conversation took place at the end of June. At that time, the contact was initiated by the USA. It was then the first conversation with the Russian minister since 15 March 2023.
According to the Pentagon spokesperson at that time, Austin called Belousov and "emphasised the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine."
"Called to deliver a warning"
The next phone call - this time initiated by the Kremlin - took place on 12 July.
"Mr. Belousov was calling to relay a warning, according to two U.S. officials and another official briefed on the call: The Russians had detected a Ukrainian covert operation in the works against Russia that they believed had the Americans’ blessing" - reports the American newspaper, citing three American officials familiar with the details of the conversation.
Belousov asked Austin whether the Pentagon "was aware of the plot... and its potential to ratchet up tensions between Moscow and Washington."
- Pentagon officials were surprised by the allegation and unaware of any such plot - the informers said. - But whatever Mr. Belousov revealed, all three officials said, it was taken seriously enough that the Americans contacted the Ukrainians and said, essentially, if you’re thinking about doing something like this, don’t." - they add.
Despite Ukraine's deep reliance on the United States for military, intelligence, and diplomatic support, Ukrainian officials are not always transparent with their American counterparts regarding military operations, especially those against Russian targets behind enemy lines.
"These operations have frustrated U.S. officials, who believe that they have not measurably improved Ukraine’s position on the battlefield but have risked alienating European allies and widening the war," - it reads.
It is still unknown whether the alleged Ukrainian plot this month was actual or imminent and what form it might have taken. Pentagon and White House officials claim that nothing has happened — so far. They refused to provide conversation details but emphasised the need for dialogue between adversaries.
The Russian Defence Ministry's statement after the 12 July phone call confirmed that Belousov initiated it, adding that "the issue of preventing security threats and reducing the risk of possible escalation was discussed." However, the statement did not mention the suspicion of a Ukrainian secret mission.
The Kremlin and Kyiv declined to answer questions posed by "NYT."
